On October 1-4, 2023 OKOndt GROUP attended Railway Interchange 2023 - the largest North American railway event. This time the exhibition took place in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (Indiana Convention Center) and brought together over 700 exhibitors and more than 8, 000 visitors who are the major influencers in the industry. Thank you to everyone who was with us at the RI 2023!


OKOndt GROUP has a vast experience in production of flaw detectors of different types – ultrasonic, eddy-current and electromagnetic acoustic. There is also a large spectrum of ndt equipment for sale to meet the requirements of automated testing. Ndt products for automated testing are highly sophisticated means that can solve specific tasks of ndt inspection during manufacturing of prefabricated components and parts. The systems for automated testing are mainly composed by specialized multiple flaw detectors combined with a set of other NDT tools. Ultrasonic flaw machines are intended for non-destructive testing of products for the presence of defects such as discontinuity and inhomogeneity of material in raw stock, finished items, in-process goods, welded, soldered, bolted, riveted and other joints. Also, ultrasonic flaw detectors can be used for solving additional testing tasks, such as measurement of thickness, assessment of sound velocity in various materials, etc.







Ultrasonic thickness gauges are ndt tools that utilize the same principles as UT flaw detectors, but serve only for estimating thicknesses of components and parts, and calculating sound velocities in them. Eddy-current flaw detectors are used for testing parts and components for the presence of surface or subsurface defects, such as discontinuity of the material (cracks, overlaps, holes, fine cracks, etc.) by utilizing eddy current technique. Each set of non-destructive testing devices - be it purposed for testing of either longitudinal pipes or railcar axles or aircraft parts, is a flaw detector backed up by a kit of ndt testing equipment, which enables the basic flaw detector to handle any specialized task or to perform universal flaw detection. So, buying a flaw detector from OKOndt GROUP means getting a pre-assembled set of non-destructive test equipment, which consists of a variety of transducers, cables, calibration blocks for different applications. Our multi-purpose ndt machines allows solving a wide range of testing tasks. Besides, OKOndt GROUP performs ndt equipment sales, with a possibility to adjust the purchased product to specific customer’s needs.




 

SNK UNISCAN-LuCH T-18 Purpose

 The System of automated non-destructive testing of pipe`s body SNK UNISCAN – LuCH T-18 is intended for complex automated non-destructive testing of pipes along hot-rolled surface using ultrasonic and eddy current methods. The System is built into the Customer`s processing line and carries out non-destructive testing during pipes drive linear motion along the flaw detection roller bed with the diameter from ø 140 mm to ø 377 mm.

 Ultrasonic part of the System consists of 4 immersion tanks. Specified number of immersion tanks and ultrasonic probes provides a complete testing of the pipe`s body for the presence of defects such as discontinuities and metal inhomogenuity, defects such as metal delimitation and pipe`s wall thickness measurement by ultrasonic method.

System of automated non-destructive testing of pipe`s body SNK UNISCAN-LuCH T-18 and T-18 VT

 Two immersion tanks No.1 and No. 2 are designed for a complete immersion ultrasonic testing of pipe`s body for the presence of eliminations and for carrying out of thickness gauging. Also, testing schemes are implemented in a tank No.1 allowing to carry out a 100% testing of pipe`s body for longitudinally-oriented defects such as cracks. Tanks No. 3 and No.4 are designed for carrying out of ultrasonic testing of the pipe`s body for transverse defects detection.

 Eddy current part of the System consists of 2 scanners with surface ECPs and of an encircling ECP unit. It provides defects detection of longitudinal and transverse orientation relative to the pipe axis.

Eddy current part of the System

Scanner with surface ECPs:

  • Consists of 18 surface ECPs;
  • Allows to carry out testing of pipes with the diameter from ø 140 mm to  ø 377 mm;
  • ECPs are set in hardwearing protective housings;
  • Each ECP has a mechanic independent suspension which provides a constant lift-off between the ECP and pipe`s body.

Encircling ECP unit:

  • Consists of magnetizer and encircling ECP with centering hubs;
  • Is set with probes allowing to carry out pipes testing with clearly specified range of diameters;
  • Equipped with mechanical positioning assembly for ECP centering relative to the testing pipe.

Encircling ECP unit

 The System provides defects detection in accordance with the requirements of the following standards: GOST 632-80, GOST 633-80, GOST 8731, GOST 8732, API Spec 5L, API Spec 5CT, EN 10210, EN 10216, EN 10246-3, EN 10246-7, tolerance class U2, EN 10246-14, tolerance class U2, DIN 1629, DIN 1630, DIN 17175, ISO, TU 14-3-460.

 Pipes with a surface obtained after the hot rolling are subjected to testing. Pipe`s geometry differs from the regular circle. The ends of defined pipes are previously cut off. Pipes technical specifications are shown in table 1.

Table 1. Main technical specifications of pipes.

Parameter Value
Pipes materials are steel grades with strength of, [N/mm2.] 390 ÷ 1400
Testing pipes outer diameter, D  [mm.] 140 ÷ 377
Wall thickness, t [mm.] 5 ÷ 30
Pipes length L [mm.] 8000 ÷ 13000
Curvature of any pipe section at 1 m in length can be of, mm 2,5
Maximum bending at 1,5 m in length at each end,  [mm] 3,2
Allowable change of pipes outer diameter from the rated value, [%.] ±1
Pipes temperature in the testing area [С 0.] +10 ÷ +400
Ultrasound velocity in the pipe`s body [m/s.] 4000 ÷ 8000

 Ultrasonic part of the System provides defects detection with the reflecting power equal to or greater than the reflecting power of reference reflectors:

  1. Longitudinal and transverse grooves located at outer and inner pipes surface:
    • Groove`s length is not more than 50 mm;
    • Groove`s width does not exceed two depths, but is not more than 1 mm;
    • Groove`s depth of 3%-15% from the wall`s thickness t, but is not more than 0,3 mm (0,3-3,5 mm).
  2. Delaminations simulated by the flat bottomed reflector:
    • flat bottomed reflector diameter is of 6,4 mm;
    • Drilling depth of 25-90 % from the rated value of the pipe wall thickness, but is not less than 2 mm.

 The System eddy current section provides defects detection equal to artificial defects in the form of through center drilling and standard grove according to the acceptance levels.

Acceptance level (testing) Slits depth max.% Slits length max. to all depth mm Width max.,inch Diameter of radial drilled hole, inch
1 2 3 4 5
L2 5 50 1 1,6
L3 10 50 1 3,2
L4 12,5 50 1 3,2

Main technical specifications:

  • This System carries out testing of pipes with standard sizes meeting the following condition:

    , where

    D – pipe`s outer diameter [mm];
    t – pipe`s wall thickness [mm].

  • Carrying out of complex UT and ET of a pipe body;
  • Length of uncontrolled pipes` ends does not exceed of 300 mm;
  • Testing performance is not less than 30 pipes per hour with a length of L=12000 (mm) with an outer diameter of D=245 (mm);
  • Marking the fact of testing performance and a separate marking of coordinates of defected areas;
  • Sound and light Alarm ( automatic defects Alarm);
  • Data transfer via Ethernet into general shop data interchange system;
  • Integrated system of video monitoring for remote control by the testing process.

System structure allows to:

  • Carry out an individual testing of acoustic coupling of each PEP;
  • Real-time presentation of UT results in a form of defectogram for all UT channels, A-scans for one UT channel;
  •  Real-time presentation of ET results in a form of strip charts for all eddy current channels and also in a form of complex plane for independently selected channel.

 The System of automated non-destructive testing of a pipe`s body SNK UNISCAN-LuCH T-18 and T-18 VT provides 100% documentation of testing results in particular:

  • record, storage of results and on-line display of the testing process data in a form of defectogram - this information allows effectively estimate testing results directly during the performance of the testing process;
  • output of testing results on electronic media and in a hard copy;
  • using a special-purpose Software there is a possibility of remote operation with archives of stored data, formation of various forms of reports and protocols by obtained results.

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